


Resolute

by elliebird



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliebird/pseuds/elliebird
Summary: Owen has never cared for TK's boyfriends.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand
Comments: 16
Kudos: 480





	Resolute

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try my hand at an outside point of view. Owen seemed like the logical choice ;)

Owen has never liked the guys his son dated. 

Maybe it’s fatherly pride, or an overprotective streak he can’t shake, but he’s pretty sure there’s not a man in this world good enough for his kid. He hates Alex for breaking his son’s heart but Owen can’t help feeling his son dodged a bullet. 

He and TK have been in Austin for nearly six months. Six months of building a new team, a new life, and re-strengthening his relationship with his son. Texas is a world away from life in New York but Owen has always prided himself on his ability to adapt. 

He and TK have settled into a comfortable life, despite TK’s initial resistance at moving in with his dad at the age of twenty-seven. 

TK lost his trust, once upon a time. They’ve worked on rebuilding in the months since they left New York. Owen goes to the occasional al anon meeting, talks to other parents, siblings, partners of addicts. He talks to TK about his therapy sessions, does his best to be as supportive as he can without knowing what’s going on in his son’s head. 

To Owen’s knowledge, despite TK’s insistence that he’s fine, his son hasn’t dated since they moved to Texas. 

There’s only so much he can do. He’s found a therapist TK seems to like, he goes with him to a meeting if TK asks, but Owen’s learned that when it comes to his son’s broken heart, it’s out of his control. 

Owen has a lot in his life to be grateful for. His relationship with his son is number one. A cancer diagnosis brings a world of uncertainty with it. Owen’s doing his best to treat this like he’ll beat it. He knows the odds, though. Spending as much time with TK as he can has been his priority since he found TK on the floor of his apartment and thought for a terrifying moment he’d be burying his son. 

But he and TK have found a rhythm in this new city and Owen doesn’t take any of it for granted. They’re spending more time together these days, now that TK’s involved in his treatment. Despite the hours together during chemo, TK doesn’t talk about Alex and he doesn’t talk about his private life.

Maybe it’s the pace of life these days. There’s nothing easy about fighting cancer. Chemo while also serving as captain of the 126 has been more challenging than just about anything in his life, except of course when the towers fell. Meeting Chloe has added a spark to his life he hadn’t realized he was missing and any free time he has is spent with her. Whatever the reason, Owen doesn’t catch on right away. 

Looking back, he feels guilty. 

It comes out in pieces.

Over dinner of rice and beans - it was Mateo’s turn to cook - Paul nods across the table at TK. “Is that a new shirt? Looks good, pretty boy.” 

Owen hadn’t noticed but now that he takes a second, giving his son a once over from his spot at the other end of the table, he realizes he doesn’t recognize the navy button-down his son’s wearing, open at the throat and looking a size too big. 

TK flashes that thousand watt smile he inherited from Owen. “Nope,” he says and ducks his head, refocusing on his food. 

Owen watches Mateo waggle his eyebrows at Paul. He’s not as sharp as he usually is - maybe it’s all the drugs being pumped into his body - but he gets the feeling he’s missing something. 

“Is there something I should know?” Owen asks, sitting back in his chair. He prides himself on being a captain who knows what’s going on with his team. And he’s always made it a priority to be a father who knows what’s going on with his son. 

It’s clear - watching his team exchange glances before shrugging and insisting, no there’s nothing he should know - that he’s lost his step. 

He corners Judd an hour later, after his turn at the dishes. Judd’s got the lower half of his face slathered in shaving cream and a towel around his shoulders. In the six months they’ve been a team, Judd has carved a place for himself as the big brother. If anyone knows the ins and outs of his team, it’s Judd. 

Judd’s reflection narrows in on Owen and before he can open his mouth, Judd’s shaking his head. “No, uh-uh.” 

“I didn’t say anything,” Owen says, holding his hands up. 

“I know that look.” Judd sets his razor on the counter and turns to face Owen. “It’s not my place to tell, Cap.” After a beat, he takes pity on Owen and shakes his head. “Go talk to your kid.” 

Owen doesn’t get a chance. They get a call about a house fire that keeps them out until well after midnight and then they’re climbing into bed to get as much sleep as they can before the day starts and they do it all over again. 

Owen spends the following morning - after his run and breakfast with the team - in his office, catching up on the neglected paperwork. Nobody told him - when he was working his way up through the ranks of the New York Fire Department, just how much paperwork a fire captain actually does. 

He steps out of his office for a break. “Marjan,” he says, getting her attention. She’s reading a book from one of the armchairs beneath the skylight. “Have you seen TK?”

“His shift just ended, Cap,” she says. She hesitates like she wants to say something else but thinks better of it. 

“Thanks,” Owen says. He learned from Judd that if he wants to know what’s going on with his own kid, he should start by asking him. 

Owen takes the stairs quickly, thinking he might still catch TK. 

The air is hot and dry outside, the sun already at full strength and it’s not yet eleven. Owen lets his eyes adjust. 

A familiar looking Austin PD car is parked just outside. TK’s leaning against the hood. Officer Reyes, still in uniform, has his weight braced with a hand behind TK. 

They’re talking quietly. Owen stands in the shadow of the engine. He hasn’t seen his son smile like that since before they left New York. 

“If you tell him,” Reyes is saying, with a smile in his voice, “I’ll do that thing you like.” 

TK’s smile widens, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Oh, you’re bribing me into telling my dad about us with sex?”

Reyes laughs. “Is it working?” He slips a hand behind TK to rest at the small of his back. 

TK is as relaxed as Owen has seen him in the months they’ve been in Austin. “I don’t know,” TK says. “We both know you’re going to do _that thing I like_ either way.” 

Owen’s painfully aware that he’s witnessing something he shouldn’t. He disappears back into the station but doesn’t miss the way Reyes leans in, the low sounds of laughter that follow. 

Inside, Marjan, Paul and Mateo are lined up along one of the trucks, looking like caricatures of themselves, caught. 

Owen doesn’t have to ask to know he’s the last of the team to know about his son and Carlos. He has a half dozen questions on the tip of his tongue: how long? Is it serious? Why didn’t he know? 

“Everything good, cap?” Paul’s the first to break. 

Owen thinks about the way his son looked. Happy. He swallows everything he was about to say and replies instead with, “everything’s good.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm on [Tumblr](https://elliebirdthings.tumblr.com/).


End file.
